Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with the latest discoveries on the human microbiome, a practical guide in the tradition of Wheat Belly and Grain Brain that conclusively demonstrates the inextricable, biological link between mind and body. We have all experienced the connection between our mind and our gut—the decision we made because it “felt right”; the butterflies in our stomach before a big meeting; the anxious stomach rumbling when we’re stressed out. While the dialogue between the gut and the brain has been recognized by ancient healing traditions, including Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, Western medicine has failed to appreciate the complexity of how the brain, gut, and more recently, the microbiome—the microorganisms that live inside us—communicate with one another. In The Mind-Gut Connection, Dr. Emeran Mayer, executive director of the UCLA Center for Neurobiology of Stress, offers a revolutionary look at this developing science, teaching us how to harness the power of the mind-gut connection to take charge of our health. The Mind-Gut Connection shows how to keep the brain-gut communication clear and balanced to: • heal the gut by focusing on a plant-based diet • balance the microbiome by consuming fermented foods and probiotics, fasting, and cutting out sugar and processed foods • promote weight loss by detoxifying and creating healthy digestion and maximum nutrient absorption • boost immunity and prevent the onset of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s • generate a happier mindset and reduce fatigue, moodiness, anxiety, and depression • prevent and heal GI disorders such as leaky gut syndrome, food sensitivities and allergies, and IBS, as well as digestive discomfort such as heartburn and bloating • and much more. Product DetailsISBN-13: 9780062376558 Media Type: Hardcover Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Publication Date: 07-05-2016 Pages: 320 Product Dimensions: 6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)About the Author Emeran Mayer, MD, has studied brain-body interactions for the last forty years. He is the executive director of the G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience and the codirector of the Digestive Diseases Research Center at the University of California at Los Angeles. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health for the past twenty-five years, and he is considered a pioneer and world leader in the area of brain-gut microbiome interactions.Table of Contents Table of Contents Preface ix Part 1 Our Body, the Intelligent Supercomputer Chapter 1 The Mind-Body Connection Is Real 3 Chapter 2 How the Mind Communicates with the Gut 29 Chapter 3 How Your Gut Talks to Your Brain 51 Chapter 4 Microbe-Speak: A Key Component of the Gut-Brain Dialogue 75 Part 2 Intuition and Gut Feelings Chapter 5 Unhealthy Memories: The Effects of Early Life Experiences on the Gut-Brain Dialogue 107 Chapter 6 A New Understanding of Emotions 137 Chapter 7 Understanding Intuitive Decision Making 167 Part 3 How to Optimize Brain-Gut Health Chapter 8 The Role of Food: Lessons from Hunter-Gatherers 197 Chapter 9 The Onslaught of the North American Diet: What Evolution Did Not Foresee 225 Chapter 10 The Simple Road Toward Wellness and Optimal Health 263 Acknowledgments 291 Bibliography 293 Index 307